Choices
by ilovetvalot
Summary: When Hotch and Rossi fall in love with the same agent, whose love will prevail? An Interactive Story.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note - Hello, readers! I'd like to introduce you to our very first interactive story where you, as readers of the story, get to make key choices in the storyline thru your reviews and private messages. And, the first decision to be made is who, as readers, you would like to see cast in the female lead role in this story, Emily or JJ. I look forward to your input and I think this will be a blast to write. Thanks for reading!**_

* * *

**Choices**

_**"Until a person can say deeply and honestly, "I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,", that person cannot say, "I choose otherwise". - Stephen R. Covey**_

**Prologue**

_**Rossi**_

David Rossi had never been what anyone with half a brain would qualify, even kiddingly, as a timid man. He called his own shots with precision and took no prisoners. He rarely second guessed his choices, regardless of outcome, and he always made it a point to get what or who it was that he wanted.

Until now. Today.

And the reason for his uncharacteristic indecision was sitting across the chipped table from him, his drawn face cast in shadows created by the bar's dim lighting.

Because while Dave might have known who he wanted, an image of her beautiful face teasing and tantalizing his mind, he was also equally certain of what he didn't want. And while he may have wished otherwise, one choice was inexplicably bound to influence the other. And as long as he lived, Dave never wanted to hurt the man staring steadily back at him. Aaron Hotchner had seen more than enough pain in his lifetime…and he wasn't going to add to that already excessive limit.

And as he sat quietly nursing his scotch neat, David Rossi realized with a sinking sigh that, this time, he might not succeed in getting everything he ever wanted.

_**Hotch**_

He'd known without words being spoken what Dave had wanted to discuss when the older man had casually stopped in his office late that afternoon and asked, nonchalantly, "Can we get that drink now?"

Apparently the issue had come to a head. They'd certainly spent enough time skirting said issue between them for the last few months.

The issue had a name, but….Damn. How could he could bring himself to think it, let alone say it, at this juncture?

And if someone had told him a year ago that a fifteen year friendship would be on the line over a woman, he'd have laughed himself silly…and Aaron Hotchner was not given to fits of laughter.

But the facts remained unchanged. That was exactly what had come to pass.

Aaron Hotchner understood that Dave could offer her things…vital things…that he might never be able to attain. And he wasn't just considering material possessions. Even after all he'd seen in his life, the other man still possessed an openness...an approachability…that he wondered if he'd ever have. It was a fact that David Rossi was self-assured in a way that Aaron had never been even at the height of his marriage

Then, of course, there was the complication of his role as Unit Chief. But, hell, if there was ever a woman that he'd consider walking away from the Bureau for, it was her. Would Dave make those kind of sacrifices in the name of love?

Somehow, he doubted it.

_**The Common Denominator**_

She tried to remain invisible, tucked into the fartherest corner of the corner bar. This was her fault. She knew it was, the handwriting obvious on the proverbial wall. Two men that had been friends for years were at odds.

Over her.

Biting her lower lip as she watched their eyes focus on each other as if daring one another to speak, she cringed. It would have been easier for her if she didn't adore them both...if there had been a clear choice in her eyes. But there wasn't.

She loved them both. And that equally thrilled her and damned her.

Oh, there was David Rossi's confidence…and Aaron Hotchner's moral compass. Dave's devil may care outlook on life…and Aaron's carefully constructed world of the acceptable and unacceptable. Complete opposites in nature…yet, somehow, a wonderful complement to each other.

And now, all that shared history between them was in danger of imploding.

Because of her.

She'd racked her brain dozens of times over the past several months for a solution to the seemingly insurmountable problem. And, finally….she'd succeeded in her fool's mission. The answer was contained within a crisp envelope inside her well-worn purse.

She refused to be responsible for the willful destruction of a decades-old friendship. She couldn't allow it to happen.

To any of them.

* * *

_**Author's Note 2: **__**We have a couple of announcements for you all today. We're proud to announce that signups are open for the Fanfic Challenge - Round 4 on our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" or, as we like to call it, the "PYOP Challenge" (pick your own pairing challenge) through September 1st. For those interested, simply go to the forum to the PYOP Challenge thread and sign up with your favorite pairing. On September 2nd, we'll assign you a scenario to write provided by some of our lovely fellow authors. This will give everybody an opportunity to write what they love and provide readers with some awesome stories. Please sign up at the forum or shoot us a PM signifying your willingness to participate. So, please come join the fun and let's make this the most successful challenge yet!**_

_**We also have wonderful new interviews with the lovely Sarramaks and hot4cullenmen! Please check it out and let them know your thoughts!**_

_**We've also added two fun new prompt threads. One is called, "Fortune Cookie Fridays" based on an idea submitted by LoveforPenandDerek. Come by and check it out...perhaps, it will feed the muse. And the other is called, "Getting to Know...YOU! Tell us about yourself" It asks five simple questions that allow readers and authors alike to briefly tell us about who they are.**_

_**And, as always, thanks to everybody still reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories. We couldn't do this without your support!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note - Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews helping me cast the female lead in this story. Now that that's done, let's decide which charismatic male lead should ride off into the sunset with that special lady. Hotch or Rossi? Rossi or Hotch? Please let me continue to hear from you readers! Your assistance in this, our first interactive story, is instrumental. As always, thank you so much for reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting. Neither Tonnie, nor I, could do this without you all. Thank you!**_

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**Choices**

**Chapter One**

_**The Reckoning**_

After a few minutes of tense silence, Dave finally asked, his voice gruff, "How long have you and I known each other, Aaron?"

Swilling the liquor in his glass, Hotch's eyes never left the swirling amber fluid as he returned without conscious thought, "It'll be sixteen years next month."

"Long enough that we can be straight with each other then," Dave replied, taking a slow sip of his own drink, nodding absently as he met the younger man's darkened eyes. "I mean, are we not friends, after all?"

"I'd certainly like to think so," Hotch answered carefully, meeting the other man's eyes across the table. "It'd seem like a hell of a waste if we weren't after all these years."

"Hell, Hotch," Dave snorted into his glass, "You may be the only successful long-term relationship I've ever had except for my parents." The 'until now' seemed to hang silently in the air between them.

"I know what you mean," Hotch agreed softly. It was true… he and Dave had a lot of shared history between them. Some good, some not so much so…but, until now, they'd never been standing on opposite sides of the proverbial dividing fence.

Gently placing his glass tumbler back on the table, Dave said, his voice resigned, "And now, we have this thing between us."

"Yeah, I guess we do," Hotch assented, verbalizing the problem aloud for the first time.

"We both love her, don't we?" Dave asked rhetorically, leaning back against his seat, one arm still resting on the table as his hand toyed with his glass, turning it in slow circles.

"I know I do," Hotch nodded, his movement jerky as his eyes watched the heavy glass twirl under Dave's grasp.

"Me, too," Dave sighed, the sudden exhale of breath audible even over the background noise of the bar. "Question is, what are we gonna do about it?"

"I'm open to suggestions," Hotch replied wearily, rubbing his hand over his furrowed forehead. "God knows, I've asked myself that question a hundred times and not come up with any answers."

Smiling faintly, Dave nodded. That sounded like the friend he knew. Leave it to Aaron to analyze every nuance of the situation before speaking. Yet another difference between the two men. Fifteen...hell, even ten years ago, Dave would have jumped in with both feet, his best friend's feelings be damned. But he was different now. Older. Wiser. And a hell of a lot less prone to make stupid choices based on selfish urges, history having taught him the fallacy of that ridiculous move. "Maybe we should both lay our cards on the table," Dave suggested.

"I won't say no to that," Hotch replied evenly, "but, first," he said, raising his glass toward the woman hovering near the bar, "I'm going to need another drink."

Ten minutes later, their fresh drinks delivered by a smiling waitress, Hotch turned his focus back to Dave. "Who goes first?" he asked almost inaudibly, staring down at the scarred table.

Dave slowly took a sip of his aged scotch before replying, "I will." Seeing the slight inclination of Aaron's head, Dave said with characteristic bluntness, "I don't deserve her. I know that. "

"And I do," Hotch grunted, reaching for his glass again. He needed something to dull the effect this conversation was having on his psyche, and the available liquor was just what the doctor had apparently ordered.

"Well, after three failed marriages, I've proven that my success rate when it comes to long term commitment is virtually nonexistent," Dave commented truthfully, the blunt words even harsher said aloud. There certainly wasn't any sense in rewriting history, especially for the innocent man that had been along for the ride on each marriage.

"I met two of those wives," Hotch replied with no censure in his voice as his eyes softened for a moment, "I don't blame you."

"I blame me," Dave said quietly, tilting his head slightly. "I never worked hard enough for them."

"You worked all the time, Dave," Hotch countered.

"True...just not on my relationships. I was always too busy chasing the next bad guy or touring with the latest novel. I had three opportunities to be a good husband and I failed each time," Dave said sincerely, more than willing to accept his obvious faults, well aware of the shortcomings that had colored his life and relationships.

Smiling grimly, Hotch nodded. "You aren't the only one with a colossal failure underneath your belt," he noted morosely. "To my knowledge, at least you never got a woman, let alone your wife, killed before."

"First, she was your ex-wife," Dave corrected sternly, his eyes flashing as his voice hardened. "Second, you didn't 'get' her anything, Aaron. You had no control over what happened," Dave reminded him, his lips tightening as he watched the shadows cover his long-time friend's face once again.

"I chose to not have any control," Hotch countered baldly, swallowing hard as he tightened his fingers around the tumbler again. "I could have taken Foyet's deal. Haley'd still be alive if I had, and my son would still have his mother. But I let my arrogant moral compass overrule my common sense."

"You made a choice to hunt a deranged killer," Dave growled, leaning forward as drew in a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. "You didn't turn your back on justice."

"Didn't I?" Hotch asked, almost clinically, as if he was presenting a case before a jury of his peers. "What kind of justice did I give Haley? What kind of justice would I give her in the same situation?"

"You did what was right, Aaron. You'd do what was right again," Dave declared ardently, leaning forward in his chair, no doubt in his mind who Aaron was referring to in his last question. "And our girl would tell you the same thing."

"I think both of you are fools," Hotch muttered, staring into the bottom of his nearly empty glass.

"And I think you are a self-sacrificing pain in my ass," Dave chuckled shortly, arching one brow. "But my analysis stands...you made the only choices you could, Aaron. The only person that holds it against you IS you."

"You know this conversation is going nowhere fast, right?" Hotch said conversationally, draining his whiskey glass in one smooth gulp, the fall of the glass heavy against the table.

"It's definitely deteriorated into us telling each other why we don't deserve her, hasn't it?" Dave smirked, shaking his head in self-disgust. "Not too many years ago, I would have just said, 'Fuck it!' and gone behind your back to get in her pants."

"How's it feel to be a grown-up?" Hotch asked derisively.

"Honestly?" Dave said, huffing out a long breath, his lips pursing with the effort. "It sucks." Hell, sucked didn't even cover it. It sucked ass, he thought to himself. "But that doesn't change the fact that we're tearing Emily apart, Hotch. And it has to stop."

"That much, we're in definite agreement on, Dave," Hotch replied evenly, realizing that Dave had been the first one to say her name aloud. "But, I'll be damned if I can be the one to walk away from the table, and I know by the look in your eye that you feel the same way."

"Have I mentioned how much I hate no-win situations?" Dave muttered, waving for the waitress's attention once more. One way or another, he had a sneaking suspicion he was going to need more than a simple buzz to dull his senses.

* * *

_**Author's Note 2: Because we value your opinions as loyal readers of the CM fandom, we ask that you visit our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" and submit your opinion either via PM or thread post regarding our newest thread, "Your Opinion Matters...We want to hear your thoughts on a solely based CM awards/recognition program". **_

_**Thanks to everyone taking the time to continue reading our work. As always, we couldn't ask for better readers than those in the CM fandom and we appreciate everyone taking time to let us know what you think!**_

_**We have a couple more announcements for you all today. We're proud to announce that signups are open for the Fanfic Challenge - Round 4 on our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" or, as we like to call it, the "PYOP Challenge" (pick your own pairing challenge) through September 1st. For those interested, simply go to the forum to the PYOP Challenge thread and sign up with your favorite pairing. On September 2nd, we'll assign you a scenario to write provided by some of our lovely fellow authors. This will give everybody an opportunity to write what they love and provide readers with some awesome stories. Please sign up at the forum or shoot us a PM signifying your willingness to participate. So, please come join the fun and let's make this the most successful challenge yet!**_

_**We've also added two fun new prompt threads. One is called, "Fortune Cookie Fridays" based on an idea submitted by LoveforPenandDerek. Come by and check it out...perhaps, it will feed the muse. And the other is called, "Getting to Know...YOU! Tell us about yourself" It asks five simple questions that allow readers and authors alike to briefly tell us about who they are.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: Okay, readers, we've decided who the female lead was and in this chapter, we'll see who the "better man" was. Now, for the concluding chapter, tell me, should Emily accept their pursuit OR should she decide that handing in that letter of resignation would be the best solution for all. Tell me what you think. The readers are driving this story.**_

* * *

**Choices**

**Chapter Two**

_**The Resolution**_

Sipping his third glass of scotch, each drop serving only to add to his already darkening mood, Dave shook his head morosely. "There aren't any easy answers here, Aaron."

"No, there certainly aren't," Aaron agreed, propping his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers thoughtfully. Letting out a pent up breath, he cleared his throat as he said, "All I can say is that she makes me feel complete, Dave. For the first time in longer than I can remember, there's a reason beyond Jack that I get up every morning. And it's her."

Hell, how could he dispute that? Gulping his scotch this time, Dave nodded woodenly. Liquor fueled his courage as he said softly, "Okay, Aaron. But if you fuck this up, I'm not gonna be willing to sit back on my laurels and watch. If you want to be with her, then you need to swallow all those insecurities of yours and make an effort. A real, concentrated effort."

"Meaning that if I snooze, I lose," Aaron replied concisely, meeting Dave's eyes as he nodded once.

"You know me well, man," Dave shrugged, his fingers wrapping tighter around the heavy glass. "I won't compete with a guy that I love like a brother. But, I'll be damned if I sit around and watch you hem and haw either. Everyone involved deserves better than that. And I think you already knew that."

"Dave, it's not as easy for all of us to talk about how we feel as it is for you," Hotch defended himself, pressing his hand flat against the table. "But I have no intention of letting her slip through my fingertips."

"I can see that," Dave replied approvingly, his tone belying the sinking feeling in the pit of stomach. "I hope it works out, Aaron. I really do."

"You know I may not be the one that she wants, Dave. This whole conversation could be a huge waste of time," Hotch countered softly, looking the other man straight in the eyes.

"Maybe," Dave assented with a slight wave of his hand. As much as he might wish otherwise, he also knew that his well-honed intuition had already provided the answers to this proverbial conundrum. "But I've seen the way she looks at you, Aaron...the way she looks at Jack. She wants a home...a family. Two things that I've never been particularly adept at supplying. You're quite honestly the better man for her. But that doesn't mean that I don't love her, too."

"You love her enough to let her go," Hotch murmured, his tone lined with a mixture of compassion and understanding as he wondered if he himself could have done so if the situations had been reversed.

"You can't let someone go that you never really had to begin with," Dave said with a small shake of his head, refusing to allow himself to dwell on the possibilities, what ifs, and might have beens. "But, I won't interfere. I love you both too much to do that to any of us."

"You really have changed," Hotch said quietly, slightly awed by the new and improved David Rossi, the difference evident in more than just one way.

"Yeah, evidently old dogs occasionally can learn a new trick or two," Dave smirked, knocking back another stiff swallow, the amber liquid no longer burning as it had just a few sips earlier.

"I thought..." Hotch trailed off, suddenly uncomfortable in the face of Dave's magnanimous attitude, unable to continue with his train of thought.

"That I'd play the asshole card?" Dave asked curiously, knowing from the look on the younger man's face that he had correctly interpreted his thoughts. Shrugging as he leaned back into the rounded leather, he met Aaron's dark, questioning eyes. "If it had been anybody else but you, I probably would have. But the simple truth is that you need a woman like her more than I do. And your son needs the mother that she was born to be. Preventing that would be criminal, Aaron," Dave admitted self-consciously.

"I feel like I should say thank you, but that just feels wrong," Hotch snorted, unconsciously straightening his cuffs, his fingers desperate for some form of busy work.

"I know what you mean," Dave said faintly, staring down at his glass, watching in idle fascination as the faint light over the bar glimmered off the dwindling liquid.

"You know she's been here the whole time," Hotch sighed, meeting Dave's gaze across the table.

"I noticed her slip in about five minutes after we got here. I'm guessing she was worried we'd end our discussion in a bar brawl," Dave said with a slight smile, not at all surprised that the younger man had also known of her presence.

"That's more your style than mine, Old Friend," Hotch quipped, his lips tilting lopsidedly.

"Yet another reason you're better for her than I am. Can you imagine me at Prentiss family dinners?" Dave joked, only half-kidding in his question.

"I've been to Prentiss occasions before. I worked for the Ambassador, remember? And I can safely say that it definitely wasn't something I could see you enjoying with a smile," Hotch replied wryly.

Privately thinking he could have learned to endure, Dave simply nodded as he drained the last few drops from his glass. "Go, Aaron. This is your shot at something real. Don't fuck it up," Dave said, jerking his head to where Emily sat unobtrusively in the corner. Shoving his hand in his pocket, he pulled out a few folded bills and dropped them on the table. "I'm going home. Hopefully, you and I will never need to have this kind of conversation again."

"Dave...," Hotch began, uncertain what was an acceptable goodbye in this situation, seriously doubting that Emily Post provided guidelines for such an event.

"No worries, Aaron," Dave said with a bland smile, tugging his jacket tighter around his shoulders. "Just make her happy. Make each other happy," Dave ordered with a piercing stare. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Watching as his best friend walked proudly out of the bar, Aaron released the breath he'd been cautiously holding. In a thousand years, he'd never expected for David Rossi to be the man prepared to walk away from the table. Rossi had never been known for his nobility. His ruthlessness and cunning were another story. And for a moment, Aaron wondered if this was simply a ploy meant to lull him into a false sense of security.

But he'd seen the genuine sincerity shining in those dark, wise eyes of Dave's. And he'd heard the pure way that Dave had spoke of their friendship.

And in that very moment, Aaron Hotchner was ashamed.

His best friend had been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for him...for them, really. And here he still sat while she tried to become even more invisible, slouching in her seat, in the corner booth of the dimly lit bar. She knew he was there, and yet, he had to make the first move.

Taking a deep breath, he knew it was time to confront his questionable fate squarely, to follow in the footsteps of the great men who had been willing to risk it all to win the one they loved.

He only hoped that she wanted the same things that he did.

* * *

_**Author's Note 2: Hello, readers! Again, several announcements to make...please visit our discussion forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". We have introduced a new discussion thread called, "Announcing the Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds Awards on fanfiction. net 2010". Please see this thread for tentative guidelines and know that more details are coming soon. With all of the readers and authors support, I believe we can make this venture an incredibly fun experience! So, please everyone, come on over and take a look. **_

_**Thanks to everyone taking the time to continue reading our work. As always, we couldn't ask for better readers than those in the CM fandom and we appreciate everyone taking time to let us know what you think!**_

_**We have a couple more announcements for you all today. We're proud to announce that signups are open for the Fanfic Challenge - Round 4 on our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" or, as we like to call it, the "PYOP Challenge" (pick your own pairing challenge) through September 1st. For those interested, simply go to the forum to the PYOP Challenge thread and sign up with your favorite pairing. On September 2nd, we'll assign you a scenario to write provided by some of our lovely fellow authors. This will give everybody an opportunity to write what they love and provide readers with some awesome stories. Please sign up at the forum or shoot us a PM signifying your willingness to participate. So, please come join the fun and let's make this the most successful challenge yet!**_

_**We've also added a new 'Getting to Know" interview with our fellow author, canny-bairn. Please check it out!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: For those of you that don't approve of the following ending, please stay tuned tomorrow for an alternate. In the interest of trying to satisfy everyone, I created another choice. I hope you like at least one of them.**

**In other news, there are still five days remaining if you'd like to sign up for the "PYOP" (Pick Your Own Pairing) challenge at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. Please join us in making this our most exciting challenge yet. Details and sign-ups are waiting for you.**

**Also, we've got a couple of new interviews with two very talented authors available for your viewing pleasure. Please join us as we get to know criminalxxxmindsxxxfreak and Katie N Cassie's Slave 4 Life.**

**And finally, please stay tuned to the forum this weekend. Guidelines and the Nomination Ballot for our exciting new "The Profiler's Choice Awards" will be available shortly. I can't wait to honor some of our amazing fellow writers and their wonderful stories! With your help, I believe this can become an annual event that we ALL look forward to seeing. I hope that you're all as eager as I am to see this incredible project lift off.**

* * *

**Choices**

**Alternate Ending #1**

**Chapter Three**

Downing the last of the liquor in his glass, Hotch garnered his wavering courage. With Haley, his profession of love had been easy. He'd still been an idealistic kid...the world had still been swathed in a rosy glow. And he had still believed in happily ever after.

Twenty years wiser, he knew better. Happily ever after was exactly what you made it to be. Sometimes, you got lucky and found the perfect fit the first time out of the gate, never having to make adjustments again. More often, you didn't. But even Haley had believed that one should never stop trying. She'd reinforced that lesson before she died.

She had wanted him and Jack to be happy. Emily Prentiss did that, too…for both of them. With her serenity and her warmth, she'd given them both back a sense of stability that they'd floundered aimlessly without. With her, he felt a sense of purpose...of direction. Without her, he stagnated. The world around him paled without her presence.

He no longer wanted to live in black and white. He wanted color in his world once again.

And it was those realizations that sent him surging to his feet. Without conscious thought he walked firmly toward her table, noting the questions shining in her dark eyes.

"I see that I wasn't nearly as anonymous as I'd hoped to be," Emily said softly, her cheeks faintly stained with embarrassment at having been so easily found out. For someone who made her living at tracking others, she should have known how to best keeping herself hidden.

"We both knew you were here," Hotch replied truthfully, meeting her gaze steadily, never wavering in his perusal. "Dave and I had some things to work out," he told her, his words deliberately vague.

"I gathered as much," Emily replied quietly, her heart thudding in her chest as she tried to read Hotch's closed face. "Ho-Aaron," she whispered, swallowing hard against the words, "I don't want to be in the middle of this. It isn't fair to any of us," she said, reaching for her purse with an unsteady hand, her heart clenching as she imagined leaving him. Leaving them.

Hearing the uncertainly in her unusually quiet voice, Hotch felt his stomach sink. He couldn't lose her. Not like this...and if he wasn't mistaken, there was an odd note of finality in her voice. "Emily, Dave and I aren't angry with each other. We had to clear the air. That's all."

"Over me," Emily stated sadly, dropping her gaze to the table as her hand wrapped tightly around the strap of her purse, her attempt at fleeing still a very possible event.

Licking his suddenly dry lips, Hotch nodded. "The good news is that you have two men willing to do anything for you," he quipped, his lips tilting lopsidedly for a bare moment.

"And the bad news?" Emily said with a shaky smile, never willing to allow herself to settle for only half of any story…especially a story that deeply affected her.

"The bad news is that you have to choose one of us. And Dave graciously allowed me to talk to you first," Hotch confided, his voice sincere, more honest and open than she'd ever heard him before.

"You know that I care about you both," Emily said tremulously, her eyes clouding as she felt her throat tightening once again. "How could I not?"

"I know that," Hotch nodded, swallowing uncomfortably. "But, the thing is," he said, pausing as his bravery faltered. Damn, he'd never expected this moment to be so incredibly difficult. He'd always been honest with Emily...more so than he ever had with anyone before her.

"The thing is, what, Aaron?" Emily asked, needing to hear what came next, hoping that whatever he had to say wouldn't shatter her heart.

"I love you," he said starkly, those simple words echoing in both of their ears. For a moment, he felt like the floor of the bar had shifted beneath his soles, tilting him off balance. Grabbing the back of the chair, he murmured "I never expected to be able to say those words to another woman again. Ever. But, it's true. And I can't...won't go on denying it. Not to myself and not to you." Afraid to look at her, he continued staring at his empty glass as he spoke, "I don't know if you could ever reciprocate those feelings. I don't know if you even want to try. But, I can't sit here and say that I don't need you anymore. The truth is, you're everything that I DO need in my life."

Shocked, Emily's jaw dropped. Was she really hearing this correctly? Was the emotionally unavailable man that she'd spent such long years loving finally admitting to her that she was the missing ingredient from his well-ordered life? "Aaron, are you saying..."

"I'm saying that I want...no...that I need you. In whatever capacity you'll allow me to be a part of your life. I know that you have feelings for Dave, but..."

Holding up her hand, her tapering fingers a silent stop sigh, she waited until he stopped in mid-sentence. "I care about Dave. And, I guess, in a different life, I could have loved him. He's a good man that saw me through a pretty dark time, but I LOVE you. I've spent years telling myself that it couldn't ever happen. And, it was easy to lean on Dave. But, the way I felt about you...it's never changed. And I never told Dave otherwise," Emily said honestly, silently willing Aaron to believe her. "I never want to be responsible for destroying the bond you two have," she whispered. "But, I won't sit here and lie and say that it isn't you that I've always wanted."

"Dave wants us both to be happy," Hotch replied slowly, allowing himself a moment to completely process her admission. "I want us to be happy together. Do you think that's possible? I know that I'm a bad risk, but I can promise you that I'll do whatever it takes to make this worth it to you."

"Aaron," Emily whispered, scooting closer to him on the bench seat. She cupped his cheek tenderly and redirected his gaze back to her. "I'm old enough to realize that sunshine and roses is a myth. Love takes hard work. And a relationship is a never-ending work in progress. But I'll take my risks with you any time you ask me."

"Is that a yes?" Hotch breathed hopefully, finally allowing himself to feel the warm glow of love and acceptance shining in her bottomless eyes.

"That's a very definitive yes," Emily nodded, leaning forward as their lips gently met, sealing her promise to him.

She chose him. And Aaron Hotchner would never forget it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: There are still three days remaining if you'd like to sign up for the "PYOP" (Pick Your Own Pairing) challenge at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. Please join us in making this our most exciting challenge yet. Details and sign-ups are waiting for you.**

**Also, we've got a couple of new interviews with two very talented authors available for your viewing pleasure. Please join us as we get to know criminalxxxmindsxxxfreak and Katie N Cassie's Slave 4 Life.**

**The "Fortune Cookie Prompt" thread has been updated for the week of 8/27/2010 on the forum. Please check it out!**

**And finally, please stay tuned to the forum this weekend. Guidelines and the Nomination Ballot for our exciting new "The Profiler's Choice Awards" will be available shortly. I can't wait to honor some of our amazing fellow writers and their wonderful stories! With your help, I believe this can become an annual event that we ALL look forward to seeing. I hope that you're all as eager as I am to see this incredible project lift off.**

**For those of you that didn't like the previous ending to this story, I hope you find this edition satisfying. Thanks to everyone continuing to support our stories.**

* * *

**Choices**

**Alternate Ending #2**

**Chapter Four**

Downing the last of the liquor in his glass, Hotch garnered his wavering courage. With Haley, his profession of love had been easy. He'd still been an idealistic kid...the world had still been swathed in a rosy glow. And he had still believed in happily ever after.

Twenty years wiser, he knew better. Happily ever after was exactly what you made it to be. Sometimes, you got lucky and found the perfect fit the first time out of the gate, never having to make adjustments again. More often, you didn't. But even Haley had believed that one should never stop trying. She'd reinforced that lesson before she died.

She had wanted him and Jack to be happy. Emily Prentiss did that, too…for both of them. With her serenity and her warmth, she'd given them both back a sense of stability that they'd floundered aimlessly without. With her, he felt a sense of purpose...of direction. Without her, he stagnated. The world around him paled without her presence.

He no longer wanted to live in black and white. He wanted color in his world once again.

And it was those realizations that sent him surging to his feet. Without conscious thought he walked firmly toward her table, noting the questions shining in her dark eyes.

"I see that I wasn't nearly as anonymous as I'd hoped to be," Emily said softly, her cheeks faintly stained with embarrassment at having been so easily found out. For someone who made her living at tracking others, she should have known how to best keeping herself hidden.

"We both knew you were here," Hotch replied truthfully, meeting her gaze steadily, never wavering in his perusal. "Dave and I had some things to work out," he told her, his words deliberately vague.

"Obviously," Emily said softly, the pain of knowing what she was about to do nearly rending her in two. "Are you two done fighting over the bone yet?" she asked distantly, attempting to disconnect her emotions as quickly as possible.

"Emily, it wasn't like that," Hotch denied, slipping into the booth beside her, searching for something positive in her suddenly darkening gaze.

"Really? You two didn't think that I might have something to say about whatever conclusion you reached? Or did you both expect me to blindly accept whatever ruling you made?" she asked as she tried to keep her voice carefully detached. Emotion in any form would not serve her well at this juncture. Years of political training evidently did have a purpose. Although, twenty years ago, she'd never have conceived of sitting in this position...torn between to equally honorable men.

"We were trying to make sure that we were both doing what was best for everyone involved," Hotch tried to explain, sighing as he felt himself stumbling over his own thoughts and words. "The last thing either Dave or I wanted to do was..."

"Make me choose?" Emily supplied tightly, raising a knowing brow heavenward. "It's not that simple, Aaron. Even if you two try to choose for me."

"Emily, no one was trying to make any choices for you," Hotch replied evenly. "Dave and I have been friends for years and..."

"And I came between that," Emily offered sadly, her lips drooping for a moment as she realized the veracity of her statement.

"Would you please stop trying to put words in my mouth?" Hotch asked wearily, running a hand through his hair. God, this certainly wasn't the tone he was hoping for when he approached the table.

"Sorry. But, I'm being honest. And neither of you can deny that our relationships have altered your decades long friendship," Emily stated evenly, shaking her head as she met his dark eyes. "Besides, if you both can oversimplify things, so can I," she shrugged.

"You're angry because we didn't include you in our conversation," Hotch replied, his words more statement that question.

"I'm disappointed," Emily corrected, her tone holding no recrimination. "Mostly because whatever you both collectively decided holds no bearing on what I have to do," she whispered, emotion suddenly clogging her tight throat in spite of her earlier efforts.

"Em…Emily," Hotch faltered, watching as her eyes clouded with unshed tears. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that it doesn't matter what you and Dave decided over there, Hotch," she said, nodding toward their now empty table, her mind still able to see them deep in conversation from just a few minutes prior. "My decision was made before either of you ever opened your mouths."

"What are you..." Hotch began, unease growing as he watched her square her shoulders and reach for her purse, her long fingers tensely gripping the leather strap.

Shaking her head, Emily interrupted, "I love you both," she said with quiet sincerity, the words filled with emotion. "In different ways, of course...but still...I love you both. And I couldn't choose between you, even if both of you could. I won't even try."

"Emily, please..."

"No," Emily said, a tear leaking from the corner of her eye, glimmering in the soft light of the bar, "I have to do this. And I only have enough strength to do it once, so just let me speak."

Heart cracking violently in his chest, Aaron remained silent and still as he watched her reach for her black bag, extracting a crisp white envelope. Holding his breath as she slid it across the polished table to rest directly in front of him, he asked, warily, "What the hell is that?"

"We both already know what's in that envelope, Aaron," Emily whispered, her voice choked as she fought the tears slipping down her face, obvious evidence of her lack of control.

Fingering the corner of the envelope, Hotch shook his head in denial as he pushed the paper away. "Emily...no," he pleaded, his own eyes burning as he looked at the precise handwriting staring back at him.

"I have to, Aaron," Emily muttered, wiping the hot tears off her cheek with a swipe of her shaking hand. "Staying at the Bureau and watching the two men that I love most in the world...knowing that I can't be with either of them...that's a cruelty I'm not prepared to endure."

"I'll step back," Hotch offered readily, his shoulders squaring in preparation for battle. "You could..."

"Could always wonder what I could have had with you? Either way, Aaron, I lose. We all lose," Emily said, openly weeping now as the tears flowed quickly from her eyes. "This," she said, nodding at the letter of resignation lying between them, "is the only way any of us are going to survive this."

"God, Em," Aaron grimaced as he glanced down again at the envelope, a sudden feeling of dread at the portent it held. "There's got to be another way," he said, reaching for her hand, desperately needing some form of contact with her in their suddenly changing world.

Flinching away from him, Emily shook her head determinedly. "There isn't. I wish there was, but there simply isn't. Dave has an identical letter waiting for him on his desk."

"You're breaking our hearts, Emily," Hotch whispered, feeling adrift as he watched her reach for her coat.

"Our hearts were all already broken. This," she said, touching his shoulder lightly as she rose, "is the first step toward recovery. For all of us." Slipping her coat on, Emily smiled bravely. "You'll be okay, Aaron. We all will. But in order to move on, we have to go our separate ways."

"It's that easy for you?" Hotch asked hoarsely, unable to look at her, his eyes glued to the scars and indents defacing the small round table.

"No. It's just that necessary," Emily replied softly, telling herself firmly that she had to ignore the ache centered in her chest. "I hope in time, you'll both forgive me."

And finally forcing himself to turn in his seat to look at her just mere seconds later, Aaron Hotchner's heart skipped a beat as he stared into empty space.

She was gone. Her scent lingered, but the familiar woman he'd allowed himself to rely on was gone.

And he wondered if his life...if any of their lives…would ever be the same.

_**FINIS**_


End file.
